KASSIGAINEN - Reports have reached the Scope News desk in the last half hour regarding the destruction of a flotilla of vessels owned by the Quafe Company, which were apparently traversing the Caldari-Gallente border on a routine supply run.

The Federation Navy and Senate have condemned the actions of Caldari Customs forces, who appear to have engaged the unarmed convoy for violating the border closure mandate that has remained in force since Wednesday.

Representatives from Ishukone and Wiyrkomi have condemned the assault by the State Armed Forces, which destroyed seven unarmed Obelisk class freighters belonging to the Quafe Company, in an engagement that left no survivors.

The Quafe Company has released a statement in the last few moments, "strongly condemning this barbaric and heinous attack" and confirming the flight manifest for all seven vessels. The release of this information revealed that the vessels were crewed by a total of 4,691 Quafe employees, who also maintain status as corporate citizens of the Caldari State, and were fully loaded with empty Quafe classic bottles for a return trip to the Federation.

The flight manifest also shows the route that the vessels were taking from a Quafe Company warehouse in Annaro, to the Quafe Company bottling plant in orbit of Lirsautton VII, which confirms initial reports that the vessels were leaving, rather than entering Caldari territory.

In a statement delivered by Halertan Blan, Quafe's Regional Logistics Director for Everyshore, the company elaborated that "the attack on our unarmed supply vessels was entirely unwarranted and lies in firm breach of both Caldari and interstellar law. The mandate issued by the Chief Executlve Panel prevents vessels registered in the Federation from crossing the border into the state, not vice versa. The attack was an illegal, senseless and unnecessary show of force by the Caldari authorities."

The Quafe Company has confirmed that it has lodged a formal complaint with the Directive Enforcement Department and intends to file criminal charges with the Caldari Business Tribunal against Caldari Customs, with a view to "recovering cost for destruction of assets, along with substantial and adequate compensation for the families of those lost."

The Caldari authorities have remained silent since news broke of the convoy's destruction.